The Lil Wayne discography, pt. 3 - 500 Degreez

God, I don’t want to do this.

You may remember about four months ago I reviewed Lil Wayne’s first two albums, Tha Block Is Hot and Lights Out, starting a run through of the guy’s discography that I’ve wanted to do for a while, since I hoped his catalogue would dissuade me from my previous opinion that his music was overhyped commercial crap.  Unfortunately, these two albums didn’t really do that at all. Weezy’s debut was pretty terrible, sounding like it was made on a budget of £4 including food and water for the engineers, and while his sophomore record just about worked for the most part, it still didn’t work quite well enough to convince me that I liked the guy. Sure, his ear for beats seemed to have been cleared out, but his subject matter and lyrics were just as goofy and try-hard as on his debut. The only thing compelling me to continue this catalogue is the fact that it’s supposed to get a lot better, with the releases of Weezy’s Tha Carter albums throughout the mid to late 2000s.

Unfortunately, before I can get to that, I have to listen to this. Bloody hell.

Wayne’s third studio album, 500 Degreez, is notable mainly for beginning his infamous beef with fellow Cash Money spitter Juvenile, who was sadly the only member of the crew to actually provide decent guest appearances on the first two Wayne albums (he also made the BEST Cash Money track, “Back That Azz Up”, and you can fight me to argue that one). Speaking of “Back That Azz Up”, that song had appeared on an album called 400 Degreez, and so obviously Wayne naming his album a 100 degreez above that insinuated that he was the “hotter” member of the crew now. Which was true, but obviously Juvenile didn’t like that one bit.

Other than that small piece of history, however, this album is largely forgotten in the Wayne discography, even when compared to its predecessors. Whether that is a signifier of the album’s quality or not… well, I guess I’ll bear the burden of finding that out. But I should say that I don’t exactly have high expectations for this one. I mean, goddammit Wayne – could you get some new producers for once??

And so, as a punishment for not doing any revision over the Christmas holidays (or more accurately, another way of procrastinating from said revision), here's my first reaction to Lil Wayne's third studio album - 500 Degreez.

All tracks are produced by Mannie Fresh (a moniker that will surely become less and less convincing with each passing track), except where noted.

1. Fly Talkin'

This intro is hilariously terrible, and doesn't sound like what you'd expect from the album cover at all. Still, that doesn't mean I ever want to hear it again.

2. Look At Me

For the instrumental on this one, it seems like Mannie attempted to impersonate a Neptunes beat, only without any of the class or the actual instrumentation. I could make a better beat than this. Still, at least Wayne sounds pretty good on here, with a nice flow, and vocal mixing that really makes you feel like you're in a club in the early 2000s. The beat sucks, and the chorus is also pretty weak, but at least this isn't as bad as a lot of what was on his debut.

3. Way Of Life (feat. Big Tymers & TQ)

The lead single for this album, notable for the obvious influence it takes from 2Pac's "Hit Em Up", something that at least makes this track a little bit entertaining - this beat rides along nicely, even if it is a bit soft and anticlimactic. Birdman and Lil Wayne's back and forth is also reasonably entertaining, and while TQ on the chorus is painfully mediocre, it's still not the worst male R&B contribution to a Wayne album. Still, I'd be lying if I said I actually liked this one - it just feels like generic radio bullshit to me. Literally nothing about this makes me want to come back to it. I'm sorry, but I just can't bring myself to enjoy this. 

4. Big Tigger Live On The Radio

Self important skit, but then again this is a rap album, so what did I expect. And damn the music in the background here is good!

5. Gangsta and Pimps (feat. Baby)

The first song on the album to have a beat that I actually would describe as "good" (the previous skit doesn't count) comes on this joint with a misspelt title (well, I'll assume it's misspelt). Of course, the song itself isn't that good, as the chorus from an uncredited Jazze Pha is easily the worst thing on the album thus far, but at least they got close. Because yes - Wayne doesn't sound too bad here, and Birdman does an OK job too (I still find it hilarious that he used to actually call himself "Baby"). The verses over this beat sound great, which proves to me that these guys are capable of making a good song - it's a shame they ruin it with a trash hook, and a complete lack of lyrical substance. Also, that song title is making me cringe more and more by the second, so I'd better move on now. 

6. Lovely 

Following up a song entitled "Gangsta and Pimps" with a song called "Lovely" might be the most hilarious thing Wayne has ever been involved in, not counting his live performances and claim that he was "the best rapper alive", of course. This song is anything but hilarious though, largely because it is quite easily the worst song in the Wayne discography so far. From the terribly cheap and hollow instrumental, the disgustingly bad chorus, and Wayne's rambling lyrics and flows, everything here screams "cheap, effortless tat". Surely not even Wayne's biggest fan enjoys this song. This sucks, man!!

7. Gangsta Shit (feat. Petey Pablo)

I was quite looking forward to this one, since it appeared to be a fan favourite on the album, but unfortunately it presented me with pretty similar problems to every other song here. It sounds cheap, the chorus is terrible (this time not even attempting to be catchy) and the subject matter is redundant as all hell. Petey Pablo's opening verse is merely alright, meanwhile, Wayne does his best to convince me that he's going to kill me if I mess with him, but in his stupid goblin voice that he seems to use on every other goddamn track, completely ruining the intended effect. My favourite part of this song was the outro, where the beat felt a little more energetic for some reason. Overall, however, this song dissapointed me - it's sure not the worst song here, but I don't really enjoy it much either. 

8. Big Tigger Live On The Radio

A continuation of the last skit, only without the obnoxious self-love. These skits are surprisingly good. 

9. Bloodline

At first, I was really ready to call this song trash, as the beat initially sounded so devoid of depth, and Wayne sounded tired as hell on this track. However, soon I kind of got into the vibe of this one, and by the end of the second verse I was ready to say with confidence that this was the best song on the album so far. Because goddamn, I actually liked this one. Sure, Wayne's lyrics still aren't impressing me, but the groovy, chilled out beat certainly had me in a nice trance, and the chorus is catchy as hell - also, Wayne's voice fits perfectly over this beat, and the line "Nod your head to this bitch til it fall off" (not rapped, just spoken) actually made me smile. I hope there are better tracks to come, but at least I can say that I fully enjoyed one track on here. 

10. Where You At

Goddammit Wayne where was this guy from tracks 1 to 7?? Not only is Mannie's instrumental on this track absolutely banging, with harsh keys and instruments that don't sound hollow as Snoop Dogg's head for once, but Wayne actually brings the flows and lyrics, and sounds angry as hell on this track. He was right about me not wanting to hear more - this is pretty much as good as I think this album is gonna get. This song is just a hardcore banger, and that's enough for me. Great stuff. 

11. Worry Me

I think I've discovered one of the many problems with these early Wayne albums. While the last two tracks didn't suffer from this issue, this song and many others incorporate these nursery-rhyme ass melodies into the instrumentals, which then completely disregards Wayne's general message, which is almost certainly about how he is going to kill you, whilst simultaneously drowning in money and having sex with your girlfriend. This song is a prime example of this, which is another way of saying that it was terrible. Sorry!

12. 500 Degreez

Ah, just what we needed during these dire times - a title track. The sinister air of the production and Wayne's slick flow meant that I just about enjoyed this one, but that doesn't come without it's consequences. Sure, the vocoder thing on the chorus sounds cool, but that doesn't change the fact that you'll probably burst right into laughter as soon as you hear what he is saying. Still, I enjoyed the dark feel of this track enough to say that it's a highlight here for me. 

13. Go Hard

Originally, I was gonna rip on the squeaky delivery of "Weezy Baby" at the start, but as I slowly made my way through the rest of this song, I realised that that would be like taking a plate of raw meat and rotten potatoes, and criticising it for being served on a chipped plate. Also, this beat makes my head ache. If I was a cynicist, I might observe that the amount of songs I've thought about skipping through less than a minute in on this album is probably signifying that this discography dive was a mistake, but thankfully I'm not, so I'll just say that I haven't quite got into him yet. Still, this album is really tiring me out. 

14. Young'n Blues

Well, I never thought I'd hear Wayne act like an actual human on a record, but here we are. (Just kidding - he did have some more emotional cuts on the previous albums, not that I can remember their names right now). This track sees Wayne showing remorse for his treatment of his baby mother, and how now he feels alone and like none of the women he is around really know him. The chorus on this song absolutely blows, and is seriously one of the worst on this entire album, but still, having some actually engaging lyrical content and a nice message meant that I was able to enjoy this song a lot. It's a decent song, but bear in mind it's not exactly being compared to the pinnacle of hip-hop here. 

15. Believe That (feat. Blaque & Mannie Fresh) (prod. Jazze Pha)

Holy hell this song was bad. I'm not sure if it's quite as bad as "Lovely" from earlier, but it's close, and that should tell you all you need to know. The amount of times the words "believe that, daddy" are repeated in this song - by a group of grown men!!! - is enough to drive any casual listener insane. The hell was this??

16. Rob Nice Live On The Radio

Okay I didn't like this skit as much as the others. 

17. Fuck You (feat. Big Tymers)

Were there no other good rappers that Mannie could have given this beat? While the instruments once again sound cheap as hell, the melodies themselves on this instrumental along with the drum pattern create an aggressive, intense atmosphere that is perfect for the confrontational title of the track - it's just a shame that Lil Wayne, Birdman and Mannie Fresh decided to rap over this one themselves, and are terrible. I still like the title and the beat, but this track has some serious wasted potential, man. 

18. What Does Life Mean To Me (feat. TQ & Big Tymers)

Can these guys just fucking shut up already??

19. Get That Dough (feat. Baby, Tateeze & Cristale) (prod. Jazze Pha)

I was complaining about Mannie Fresh, but if the other producers available to Wayne are this awful then you can't really blame him for only working with the one guy. This beat is stagnant and completely forgettable, and while the perspective of some female MCs is refreshing, Birdman's presense certainly isn't. Wayne isn't on this song enough for me to care anyway, so I think I'll just move on to the next one. 

20. Fo Sheezy

It seems the generic song title generator is working wonders for Wayne on this album. It's a shame his pen game isn't - beside one diss towards Juvenile I found absolutely nothing worth of writing about here. Oh, except for the constant misogyny that completely disspells anything he said on the somewhat decent "Young'n Blues" from earlier. It seems that Wayne doesn't even bother sequencing his own albums. Well this sucked.

21. Fly Talkin' Go Home

A long, underwhelming waste of my time. Kind of like this album, come to think of it. 

It's not that I hate Lil Wayne or anything - my review for Lights Out should alone prove that. But I do kind of hate a lot of his early music. It just feels to me like every single goddamn album so far has been almost completely devoid of humanity or introspective content, and has instead been entirely stuffed with songs about drug dealing, murdering, having sex with people's girlfriends and being inexplicably rich - pretty much every characteristic of hip-hop that leads to it getting a bad name, despite the fact that there's a ton of great music without any of that content that people are missing. Of course, I have to understand that Wayne knew what he was doing and was just trying to make the money to feed his kid by creating the music the mainstream supposedly wanted, but that doesn't change the fact that this album's constant barrage of macho attitude makes it a slog to get through, and resulted in me often tuning out from Wayne's actual lyrics, whether that be on purpose or not. Of course, this wasn't usually a good idea, because Wayne is actually the best part of this album. As usual, most of Mannie Fresh's beats sound cheap and nasty, like they were made on the 2002 equivalent of GarageBand, and the constant loops and lack of switch ups make every song a bloody pain to get through, especially when they're all at least 3 and a half minutes long, some stretching to 5. And don't even get me started on these choruses - there are about two on here that actually work, and more that actually ruined a song's chances of being quality (looking at you, "Gangsta and Pimps"). The rest were just little bits of shit in a sea of sewage, which is harsh, but kind of how I feel about most of this album. This project represents the bling era perfectly - the only issue being that it was about four years too late for that and didn't really end up making Weezy a household name - ironically, Juvenile's 400 Degreez was actually a far more successful record. Thankfully, Wayne's albums would soon transition into his Tha Carter series, which, God help me, is supposed to be actually good. So, I'll catch you all next time, as we dive into the really important part of the Lil Wayne catalogue. Peace!

Best Track: "Where You At"

Worst Track: "Lovely"

52%

Check out more on Lil Wayne over here.

El-P - Fantastic Damage

Thanks to the Murs-athon (which I will update in due time, don't you worry), I've been digging deeper and deeper into the underground hip-hop scene recently, most specifically artists from the Definitive Jux roster that was so prominent in the early 2000s, before it dismantled around 2009 along with the musicality of all hip-hop legends (with the exception of Nas - Untitled was a pretty great record if you ask me). Unlike our genre, however, Def Jux failed to regain its footing in the 2010s, which was a shame, as it was a damn good label - it was once home to Aesop Rock, Cannibal Ox, Murs, RJD2, Cage (okay, maybe we can forget that one), and many other artists whom had a lot of influence over the nerdy underground hip-hop sound, and were just very good MCs (or producers) in general. And yet, despite some of these big names on the label, to me it's very clear who the most forward thinking and talented member was - head of the label himself, El-P. 

After the break up of his group Company Flow (who's fantastic debut I've already covered on this site), the subsequent formation of his new label, and the release of the highly praised Cannibal Ox album The Cold Vein, El decided it was finally time to take his next step as a musician, and record a solo album. He commissioned quite a lot of featuring MCs, just for a lot of them to do very little on the tracks, Dan Ezra Lang for the brilliant album art, and a bloke named DJ Abilities to do all the turntables to give the album even more of an underground feel than it already would have had. This left the majority of the rapping and producing up to El-Producto himself, but this was no problem - he already did that with Company Flow's Funcrusher Plus, which was brilliant, and as he states so boldly on this album, he can "produce and rap too". 

The album, entitled Fantastic Damage, was released in May 2002, and for some reason a lot of people assumed it was all about 9/11, even though I'm almost certain it's a known fact that he recorded almost the entire thing before 9/11 actually happened. Still, I definitely didn't hear it back on its release date - I wasn't even born back then. I only listened to it for the first time around August, and subsequently never really stopped listening to it, for reasons that'll become very clear soon. Still, I don't really like giving away the endings of these reviews in the first couple paragraphs, so before I go ahead and spill my thoughts surrounding the album again, let's jump into the track by track. God, I am excited to do this. 

Every song is produced by El-P.

1. Fantastic Damage

After an incredibly intense and stellar build up that would get any sane listener ecstatic about getting into the album, El's ridiculous beat drops into a very glitchy and abrasive verse that has El apparently recording every line seperately, and then layering them all slightly on top of each other - I mean, god forbid you try to rap this verse at home. Despite the very odd and disorientating layering on here, there are some really dope lines - "you need to haul that mega dumb style to the antique roadshow, bitch" and "please try to compartmentalise my dick, with a little bit of that bitch hubris" standing out the most. Also, El's delivery feels even firmer on this song than it did on Funcrusher Plus, and I think I already mentioned the beat being absolutely banging. The album definitely does get better from here, but this is still a damn good opener. If only the verse could have been recorded as one...

2. Squeegee Man Shooting

A more conventional hip-hop banger shows the listener that not everything will be as overtly "experimental" as the first song - this track could have showed up on a lot of hip-hop albums of the time if the beat was a bit more simplistic. I'm glad it isn't, though - this beat goes crazy, with heavy and airy electronic drums and bass supporting the schizophrenic synths frequently layered on top, which just sound fantastic. El's flow here is far less manic than it was on the opening track too, as he spends the majority of this cut talking about his past, and how he eventually grew up to be the man he was. Most rappers would save a more sentimental beat for a track like this, but not El apparently. The title is also pretty interesting, in that it doesn't seem to relate to the subject matter of the song despite El bringing it up for a short time in the first verse. Still, I don't think anyone will be focusing on the title when the music is this good. This is a fantastic banger, and the chants of the album title at the start and end make for some of the catchiest refrains on the entire record. 

3. Deep Space 9mm

By far the most notorious cut on this entire album, and for good reason too - this song is bloody mental. After a drawn out echo ended the previous song, this one drops right in, with a sound that can only be described as "dusty" - the drums at the beginning sound like they were pulled straight out of a dark sewer in a New York alley, especially the ferocious snare pattern that just keeps popping up. There are also some loud and dramatic synths in this beat, but they only come in before and after the lengthy verse that makes up the majority of the song - otherwise the only glimpse past the drums and deep bass that we get is the occasional dark yet glittery sound effect, which I must say sounds nice as hell. The verse on here is more abstract than those on the previous two songs, but it's pretty easy to work out El's general message, which is that the country America is pretty fucked up. That does seem to be a prominent theme in underground hip-hop, doesn't it? I was going to bring up some great quotes from this song, but I don't think that's possible - every single line is just phenomenal. I guess that last line sums the theme up best. "For the love of god run". Damn. This song is an easy 10/10 for me, and the perfect tune to listen to whilst walking in a dark, cold, crowded area. Seriously, try it.

4. Tuned Mass Damper

Another pretty confusing song, perhaps more so even than the previous one... but all that does is keep this album getting more and more interesting. The subject matter on this one isn't exactly clear - the first verse appears reasonably directionless, as it laments on El's drug use, disses his contemporaries, and drops the infamous "I dedicate this to Matt Doo / my name is El-P, I produce and I rap too". I guess it could be talking about all of the fucked up shit that happened to him making him want to do drugs (with a few diversions in there), but I'm not entirely sure. The second verse is more directly aggressive, rapping about how El has reached the end of his tether with the corrupt government or something like that. The beat helps keep things in check though, since it's fucking incredible - it keeps a moody yet intense atmosphere, and I love the way it gradually builds up throughout the song - the Kool G Rap sample break in the middle sounds great too. This is yet another brilliant song - this album is seriously bloody good, as you can tell. 

5. Dead Disnee

I believe El stated somewhere that this song was about how the corrupt government is similar to Disney World, which killed some people and threw them off of the grounds so they couldn't catch the blame for it. The aggression of this track would certainly act as testament to that theory, as El's anger shines throughout this track, over a dark yet very fast-paced instrumental that is musical heaven to an experimental hip-hop fan like me. This beat is utter perfection, as are the verses, where El-P not only kills a bunch of Disney characters, but also airs out other demons, like the forced change of his label's name from "Def Jux" to "Definitive Jux" - the fact that Def Jam heard about El at all would surely be more likely to make El happy that he got the recognition, but I guess our minds must work differently. The best lyric here has to be that "hand me the contract and back away slowly" - that just sounds fuckin' badass. This is yet another absolutely incredible song. Jeez.

6. Delorean (feat. Aesop Rock & Ill Bill)

The first collaborator on this album comes in the form of another absolute legend who's music I've recently started exploring, Aesop Rock. Nowadays these two aren't speaking for unknown reasons, but back in the day they made for quite the pair, with their incredibly unorthodox flows and often abstract lyrics. Their collaborations are always great, and this is no exception, as El-P and Aes ride this incredible instrumental with precision and impossible-to-interpret lyrics inter spliced with incredibly memorable quotables, which is often the norm for them both. Such quotables include "freeze dried poltergeist: just add water" and "these faggots hit like teddy bears thrown against wooden walls by a misunderstood teenage girl in a moment of self-importance". And my god is that instrumental incredible - it somehow sounds simultaneously bleak and rich, and has some of the dopest and weirdest sound effects we've heard on this album so far. El also throws us for a curve in the middle of this song with a weird scratchy break down featuring Ill Bill doing some not so ill freestyling, but you won't care about this unusual diversion in the greater scheme of this track - the overall package is truly excellent. "Doc! We need to go back in time to when motherfuckers could rock!"

7. Truancy

Another cut which attempts to delve into El-P's past, and another brilliant song as well. What a surprise, eh? This song builds up slowly throughout, as El talks about his childhood, and also some of the more recent happenings in his life, such as the whole debacle with Rawkus Records (there was also a pretty tame and inconsequential line about that on "Deep Space 9mm" that I'm sure no-one remembers). The instrumental on here does feel a bit softer than everything that has come so far, and with that in mind I'd say this is the weakest song yet, but it's still bloody good. El's storytelling is nice, and when all the guitars come in at the end it's enough to make any man tear up, especially me on my first couple of listens of the album. If the production was a little more varied throughout I might have enjoyed this one even more. The instrumental break on the end with the scratches is nice as hell too. Dope stuff. 

8. The Nang, The Front, The Bush and The Shit

El-P's commentary on war, and his dislike for the propaganda used to recruit soldiers into the army. This is also possibly the best track on the entire goddamn album, or it would be if it weren't for the fact that almost all of these songs are fucking top tier. I mean, Jesus this one is good. It starts with some sinister and airy sound effects with El rapping, before the drums drop in and we get one of our more chilled beats, albeit one with a "calm before the storm" feel - you just know when listening to this part that some shit is about to go down. In this verse, El tells the story of how a man was convinced to join the army through false reasoning, before jumping into a fun chorus and reverting to some of the lines from the beginning of the verse. When El says the word "chopper", however, the beat suddenly drops out, and a darker, scarier one starts, before building up into a stupendously aggressive instrumental that El rips the shit out of, describing all of "the shit" he sees whilst at war. It's pretty impressive, and is helped by the excellent beat in the background. The song is intense, and the calm instrumental at the end was a much needed relief moment, but El really did capture the anger he felt against war and the army perfectly on this track. It's easily one of the strongest songs on this album.  

9. Accidents Don't Happen (feat. Cage & Camu Tao)

Okay, so apparently this was the only song on the album written after 9/11. That's pretty damn interesting if you ask me. Anyway, this track is one of the more intensely paranoid cuts on the record, with an electronic beat, and lyrics about the artist's visions of a dystopian future broken up by snippets from the film 1984. Out of the three artists, I think Camu Tao actually had the best verse. Sure, El's was long, but it definitely isn't one of his best on this album, and Cage is pretty good, but Camu's slightly insane delivery teamed with his directly dark lyrics are just perfect over this terrifying instrumental. And my god is this beat good - it's one of the darkest on the whole album, and all of the rappers fit perfectly over it. The lyrics are also really great. This isn't one of my personal favourites on the album, but I'd be lying if I said I could find notable flaws in it. This is another fantastic song. Damn, the title of this album is apt. 

10. Stepfather Factory

When I first heard this song, I was simply stunned. And listening even today, I still am. This has to be one of the most engaging and harrowing songs in the history of recorded music. On the track, El plays a salesman who is doing some sort of commercial (or perhaps talking to an individual family), attempting to sell a robotic stepfather, who is later revealed to have all of the traits El would associate with one - it is a violent alcoholic, just like El's real stepfather. The instrumental on here is dark and haunting, and El's nonchalant delivery of his lines just makes this song that much darker, as it shows just how desensitised to these sorts of incidents El has become. Some of these lines are incredibly clever too. "Under warranty for at least ninety days so have fun" - at first, a stepfather seems like a nice guy, but once he gets settled in and has the mother in his power, he shows his nasty side. "The cheapest way to keep his battery running is with booze". And, of course, the final couple of lines. Perhaps the most horrifying moment of this song is the robotic voice on the outro asking "why are you making me hurt you? I love you". That shit is just fucked up. This song is fucked up. But it's also utterly masterful, and one of the best songs of all time, no doubt. This is incredible. 

11. T.O.J.

A love song, El-P? Whatever next. This song is about a relationship El had obviously been in where it eventually broke down, and it really hurt him, but he learned to push through the break up. The first part of the song is melancholy and sad, as El is clearly in a dark place following this break up, and it has obviously hurt him a significant amount. He talks about time being out of joint, and also about how he had never really been able to love before this one woman, and he doesn't know if he'll be able to again. However, the instrumental soon switches up, and while it's even darker at first, it soon builds up into something dramatic, and El comes to the realisation that the break up was good for both him and the unnamed woman, and he can take good things away from it. The track perfectly exemplifies the emotions felt when going through a break up, and is also helped by its incredible musicality and poetic lyrics, some of the strongest on the record so far. This is another easy standout. 

12. Dr. Hellno and the Praying Mantus (feat. Vast Aire)

After the wildly emotional ride of the previous four or five tracks, this song serves as a fun break from the intensity of the album - over a largely percussion based beat that sounds like a Funcrusher Plus throwaway without the menace, Vast hypes himself up, whilst El describes a dirty and disgusting sexual experience in great detail for his verse. On paper, you'd think that this would be a terrible mood killer for the album, but it's anything but - this song is fuckin' hilarious, featuring one of El's most laugh-out-loud verses, and intentionally so - the final shout of "why don't you write a review of my ass" suggests that this is intended to throw the critics for a loop. This isn't the first time El denounces music critics on this album either - fuck me, I guess. I mean, joke's on you El, because I actually love your music. Including this song - sure, it's kind of silly and nowhere near as experimental as the rest of this album, but it's still a welcome tune, and puts a smile on your face amongst all of the harrowing diatribes heard throughout this project. I love this one.

13. Lazerfaces' Warning

This is the first song on the album that I originally wasn't really a great fan of. I'm honestly unsure of why now, as I can safely say that this is another incredible cut. I think it was mainly the beat in the first half I had issue with, which admittedly does have a weird airy vibe that feels a bit too clunky to fit on this album, and feels more dramatic than some of the denser beats that have plagued this album so far. The rapping over this beat is dope as hell though, as El displays excellent lyrical skill, lamenting on a bunch of things he thought about whilst tripping out in the back of a car on shroomz. The little switch up in the middle with the female vocals sounds excellent, and the second verse on here, while short, is a really interesting commentary on the Woodstock disaster, as well as the general disarray of modern media and youth culture. This track isn't my favourite on the album, but it's still really enjoyable, and El's rapping remains top notch. 

14. Innocent Leader

This instrumental interlude is another come down moment on the album, and while I like it, I think it could have been shortened and put on the end of "Lazerfaces' Warning" like the other instrumental moments. Still, at least it sounds good. That's the main thing. 

15. Constellation Funk (feat. Nasa of The Presence)

This song is an interesting moment on the album. The lyrics feel like El is finally coming to terms with all the fucked up shit that inspired the creation of this album, and is ready to move on, and there are definitely some great lyrics throughout this song that exemplify this idea. "My family grew without manhood in its structure / and we were stronger for that fact I do believe so / we held our own against some fucking evil people" is arguably the best moment lyrically, but there are loads of quotables throughout this, arguably more than on the previous actual song. Still, I would probably have this as my least favourite song here. I mean, it's close, but I just think this beat doesn't quite match with the lyrics, and should have been less dragging and sluggish. That weird, warped synth doesn't help either. NASA shows up just for the hook, and does a good job, but even then I'm really not one to give a fuck about star signs, so that whole aspect of the track throws me off. So yes, El's verses are enough to save this one by being incredible, but it still does have glaring issues compared to these other songs. It's good though.

16. Blood (feat. Mr. Lif & C Rayz Walz)

I distinctly remember this being my least favourite song on the album on my first few listens, but what I didn't foresee was how much this one would warm up to me - now I love it as much as the rest of the album. I think the reason I didn't initially like this one was because it was too hopeful sounding to end this album, and I was looking for something dark and disturbing to finish the record off. This being chosen as the final song was annoying to me, but after I accepted that El had indeed to chosen to sequence it there, I started to see the song for what it was - a really great positive track that's inspirational and also really well executed. I mean, the production on here is utterly incredible, with echoey drums and pounding synths that put it up with some of the best beats of this record. Meanwhile, El-P and Mr. Lif drop sentimental verses with incredible flows, and the brilliant line "I saw the dream float slow through the soluble haemoglobin", one of the most powerful moments on the record. Sure, the singing from C-Rayz isn't perfect, but I don't even mind his part. And the outro to this song might be the best moment, as the echo on the drums gets more pronounced and the synths switch up a bit to conclude the record. It's enough to give anyone goosebumps. This is a wonderful way to end what has been one of the greatest album experiences of all time. 

Well damn! Despite the quality lapsing ever so slightly during the last four songs or so, I can say with confidence that Fantastic Damage is one of the greatest hip-hop albums of all time, and just one of the greatest things anyone has ever made full stop. I mean, after Funcrusher Plus you wouldn't think El could top it, but you'd be very wrong - Fantastic Damage adds more experimentation, more quotables, more thematic variation and more El-P rapping to make for an even better experience - arguably a perfect one. From the album cover, to the production, to the rapping, to the goddamn mixing, everything about this album screams dystopian themed quality, and the album has just enough emotional climaxes to go alongside the bangers and the more chill tracks. I mean, "Last Good Sleep" is more brutal and haunting than anything on Fantastic Damage, but on the other hand "Stepfather Factory" and "T.O.J." express more emotion and creativity, and "The Nang, The Front, The Bush and The Shit" is arguably even angrier. I mean, "Last Good Sleep" is as good as anything on here, but the fact that it's not necessarily better is testament to just how powerful this thing is. Of course, extreme sadness and anger isn't always going to make for the best music, but El makes sure that there are some fun bangers on here too, like "Delorean" and "Dr. Hellno and the Praying Mantus". There are some aggressive, gritty slappers on here too, with "Dead Disnee" and "Deep Space 9mm" standing out in that department. Oh, you want something a bit calmer? Try "Tuned Mass Damper" on for size. That's the thing with this album - despite El's productos all having a lot of basic elements in common, like abrasive drums and constant weird electronic sound effects, they all manage to differentiate quite clearly from each other. And they also make for perfect backdrops for his rapping, which is just as unique, weird and dark as the music behind it. And listen to "T.O.J.", and tell me this man is not a poet. I mean, that song is the fuckin' shit. Fantastic Damage is one of the most emotional, most disturbing, most banging albums I have ever heard, and thanks to having all of these qualities in their most potent form, I can safely say that this album is an easy classic, and one of the greatest of the 2000s. El would have a hard time matching this one, but rest assured he would try - in 2007 he released I'll Sleep When You're Dead, an even more ambitious follow up to Fantastic Damage. And I'll look forward to reviewing that in future! Peace. 

Best Tracks: all of them. Just all of them.

Worst Tracks: I guess "Constellation Funk", but it's still great

Check out other things I've written about El-P over here!

Redman - Malpractice

Since I spent the previous post discussing OutKast's ATLiens, the album where the group really found their footing and came into their own as a top tier hip-hop act, I feel like it's only right that I spend this post talking about an album where most people felt like the lead artist fell the fuck off. 

Sorry if that was harsh.

Coming into the new millennium, Reggie Noble (that's Redman to you) was in an interesting position. On the one hand, he'd had unprecedented amounts of success with both his 1998 solo record Doc's Da Name 2000 and his '99 collaboration with Method Man Blackout!, both of which earned him by far his highest sales numbers yet, meaning he could afford even more clothes and crap for his house in New York (if you know you know). On the other hand, some fans argued that he was beginning to lose some of his creativity, with Doc's Da Name 2000 being the first of his solo records (in my opinion at least) to not be an absolute classic. While that album had some absolute bangers, including "Da Goodness" and "I Got a Seecret", there also seemed to be a few filler cuts, the production felt less creative, and Red was beginning to feel like more of a caricature of his former self, with some ridiculous lyrics, song concepts and ad-libs making me feel like I was listening to a comedy record rather than something by the man who supposedly "walk around the street with a black Tec-9 by his waistline kickin' the hype shit". Basically, the album was good, but it wasn't great, and while Blackout! was a very stellar collaboration, it would take another excellent solo record for Red to bring himself back to the heights of where he was in the early to mid '90s.

So what did he choose to do? Well, he decided to basically do the thing no-one wanted him to do, and make Doc's Da Name 2000 all over again. Damn.

Redman released his fifth solo studio album Malpractice in May of 2001, presumably indicating that it was going to be the soundtrack of the summer for the true hip-hop heads. Sadly, the real reason that Red put it out at this time was so he could put more effort into making the cult classic comedy film How High alongside Method Man. And while I'm very glad he found the time to make that classic piece of cinema, it does beg the question - how much effort was actually put into the album Malpractice, and had Red in actual fact rushed the thing out in order to make for more time on the movie set? I guess we'll never really know the true answer to that, but I'd wager we could take a pretty good guess by taking a look at the quality of this album. 

Personally, I remember bumping this thing quite a bit way back when I was first getting into Redman's discography, but then again you can enjoy anything when you're going through that honeymoon phase with an artist. What I'm determined to know now is how this album stacks up through (reasonably) unbiased eyes. So sit back, readers, as this is going to be a long one. 

I mean, did this thing really need to be 78 minutes??

1. Roller Coaster Malpractice Intro (feat. Adam F & G. Forbes) (prod. Da Mascot & Adam F)

Never before has a rap album used such a nonsensical combination of words to outline its theme. Redman, you are truly a pioneer of the genre. And while I appreciate the use of the phrase "bloody cunts" on an American rap album, otherwise this intro is pretty useless and very weird. Also, how much weed had the writers been smoking to think "the twisted tunnel of death" was an acceptably interesting and unique name for one of the attractions? That's just being lazy.

2. Diggy Doc (prod. Erick Sermon)

Red pays homage to The D.O.C.'s "The D.O.C. and the Doctor" with this short intro track, and the results are actually really successful. The instrumental from Erick Sermon is pretty intense, and not as cartoonish as one might have expected from the ridiculous intro skit - in fact, it surpasses a lot of what we heard on Doc's Da Name 2000 in my opinion. Meanwhile, Red gets to reintroducing himself by expressing some of his crazy antics and dropping some nice punchlines and bars throughout one long verse that takes up most of the track time. "Shot up Toys-R-Us and robbed K.B., nigga!" is the best bar in my opinion. The track ends with the signature "WKYA" tag, which signifies that Red's ridiculously contrived running jokes are yet to come to an end. Sigh.

3. Lick a Shot (prod. Erick Sermon)

Looks like we're now onto the cartoony stuff, which is fine by me if it sounds this good. This is by no means a Redman essential, but for a random cut on such a generally maligned album, this song is still pretty fucking good. Erick Sermon's beat is bouncy as hell and full of lovely sound effects that keep this thing entertaining to the very end, and Red's actual rapping is great too. His flow seems more aggressive and focussed on here than it was on his previous solo outing, and the lyrics are nice, with lines like "think you catching me and my bitch, you dead wrong" standing out. The one criticism with this song I have is that it feels a bit formulaic, and I think cutting the hook down a bit would have helped it - otherwise this still stands as an absolute banger of a track. Definitely a personal favourite. 

4. Let's Get Dirty (I Can't Get In Da Club) (feat. DJ Kool) (prod. Rockwilder)

The lead single, and by far the biggest chart success Red managed to get out of any of these songs - in fact, this track made it into multiple early 2000s video games I believe, meaning a lot of people heard it. And that's a shame, as it really doesn't sound anything like the rest of this album. The instrumental from Rockwilder on here is incredibly energetic, and makes me feel like I'm actually in an incredibly rowdy club whilst writing this rather than in my room waiting for the wind to die down so I can go cycling. That said, I don't like it. It's just so abrasive and harsh on the ear, and doesn't sound right at all. And why the fuck did Red feel the need to bring in fuckin' DJ Kool just to scream in my ear throughout the track? The best part about this song is Red himself, who brings the energy with some great bars about how he wants to be let into the damn club already. See, when he sticks to a theme he can really do it well - it's just a shame that (spoiler) he doesn't bother throughout most of this album. As for this song, I love Red's verses, but the weird-ass beat and shouty interludes keep me from enjoying it fully. 

5. WKYA (drop) (prod. Da Mascot)

In the same vein as "Welcome (Interlude)" and "Boodah Break" from the last two albums respectively, this song is a half skit-half song affair where there's a big radio presenter build-up followed by one short verse. The difference is, there really isn't much to remember about this one aside from Red's interpolation of Slick Rick's "Teacher, Teacher" - he really is doing a lot of homage-paying on this album, isn't he? This verse is just alright, but I'm glad he realised not to extend it into a full song. 

6. 2-Way Madness (Skit) (prod. Da Mascot)

A completely ridiculous skit that has nothing to do with anything. Why yes, this is on a Redman album. How did you know?

7. Real Niggaz (feat. Scarface, Treach, Mally G & Icarus) (prod. Erick Sermon)

I'm sure all the hip-hop fans who picked up this record back in 2001 were very excited for this joint here, since it features two absolute legends of our chosen genre - Scarface and Treach, both known for their wildly unique deliveries and lyrics. The perfect fit for our host then, who also felt the need to bring in two of his blunt rollers- I mean close friends, Jamal (or Mally G according to this CD) and the newly appointed Icarus. This posse cut does go down pretty well too, even if Erick Sermon's beat does nothing to distinguish itself from others on this album. Scarface starts things off well, and Redman does a good job too, but it's Treach who undeniably is the best on this track - his passionate delivery makes for an incredibly memorable final performance on here. Icarus is OK, and Mally G is a little too aggressive in an unpleasant way, but neither of them bring the track down at all. This is a very good posse cut, but you can't help think that a more well-developed beat would have helped turn it up a notch. Still, at least the skit on the end was funny.

8. Uh-Huh (prod. Big Soxx)

Sadly, the title of this song pretty much sums up the way I feel about it - this is a far more underwhelming piece than any of the other songs so far. The ridiculously named "Big Soxx" cooks up an incredibly monotonous beat that fails to develop at all, and Reggie decides to utilise an incredibly boring flow throughout too, which would be fine if he actually had anything interesting to say. I'd like to make some funny joke about this, but I just can't be bothered - this is one of the dullest Reggie songs out there. 

9. Da Bullshit (feat. Icarus) (prod. Erick Sermon)

Now this is what I'm talking about. Erick Sermon cooks up an instrumental that sounds pretty similar to the rest of what we've heard so far, but is more bouncy and engaging, and Redman absolutely fucking kills this beat with a fast-paced and well timed flow full of great, memorable moments that were entirely missing from the previous track. Lines like "I'm gritty, I wouldn't love in a tennis match" are some of the best on this album, and his flows throughout the track are nice as hell too. And then, Icarus comes in for a dope verse on the end, much better than what he did on "Real Niggaz". Sure, the hook is a little repetitive, but it's only repeated once, so what does it matter? This song is actually really great. It's followed by a short skit, which leads us into...

10. Who Wants To Fuck a Millionaire (Skit) (prod. Da Mascot)

That's right. Another skit. One that's fucking three minutes long. The game show part of this skit is about as funny as a snuff film, but the second half isn't as bad. Still, go into this prepared for a waste of your time...

11. Enjoy Da Ride (feat. Method Man, Saukrates & Streetlife) (prod. Diverse)

A complete switch up in sound for this album sees Red teaming up with Method Man, and both bringing the closest accountants in their respective offices along for the ride too. The instrumental on here certainly is "diverse" compared to the rest of the album, as it features an incredibly intense synth melody and speedy drums which make it one of the most interesting beats on the whole LP - it also helps that it's one of the best. This beat gets my head nodding the whole way through, and contrary to what I've seen some people say, the MCs actually fit over it really well, especially Meth, who sounds right at home here. His verse is great, as is Red's, who starts strongly with "I cop a new Benz, crash the front / so hard the airbags use nasal pumps". The other two do well too, and it's nice to have Dr. Trevis on here, even if his presence is lessened by the screams of Adam F. Still, at least that shows some love for the UK. This is definitely one of my favourite songs on the album, and a much needed change of pace for the sound too. 

12. Jerry Swinger Stickup (Skit) (prod. Da Mascot)

If you thought "Who Wants To Fuck a Millionaire" was an overlong skit, check this one out - over three and a half minutes. Have a guess how many are actually worth it. 

13. J.U.M.P. (feat. George Clinton) (prod. Erick Sermon)

Sounds pretty similar to the other Redman solo cuts of a regular length on here, only this one stands out a bit because of the addition of musical legend George Clinton's whimsical ramblings on the intro and outro. The beat on here is pretty nice, and Red rides it well, but there's really not too much to make me want to go back to it. The chorus is pretty repetitive, and aside from the line about "stickin' the easter bunny" I'm not too impressed with Reggie's rhymes. This song is just OK. 

14. Muh-Fucka (prod. DJ Twinz)

I imagine most people went into this one with an optimistic grin, excited to see what Red would do with the old-school sounding Twinz beat that's actually decent... only to quickly put their head in their hands as Red comes in, as it becomes evident quickly what the concept of this one is. Every rhyme, that's every single rhyme, is "muh-fucka". I mean, there are other rhymes before that sometimes, but he says the titular word at the end of every goddamn bar in this song. Including the fucking chorus. Motherfucker!

15. Bricks Two (feat. Double O, D-Don, Roz & Shooga Bear) (prod. Erick Sermon)

Erick Sermon's beat on this one is actually really smooth and appealing, and sounds really different from most of the other beats on here. I wonder how he pulled this one off. This track is a direct sequel to "Close Ya Doorz" off of the last album, and once again features unknown MCs from Brick City that Red obviously thinks deserve a chance at the spotlight. Oddly, then, one doesn't even get credit on the back cover - Pacewon of the Outsidaz shows up for a verse, and it ends up actually being the best one on the track. Like with "Close Ya Doorz", Redman's presence on here is reserved for ad-libs only, but I don't mind that, as he wouldn't suit this beat anyway - the other MC's make good use of it, and rap excellently throughout the track. This is a great posse cut in fact, and arguably better than "Close Ya Doorz". And so it begs the question - what the hell happened to all these guys? Where's the "Redman presents Da Bricks" compilation?? I bet that would have been a better venture than bloody The Meth and Red Show.

16. Wrong 4 Dat (feat. Keith Murray) (prod. Erick Sermon)

After giving him a subtle shout-out towards the end of "Diggy Doc" earlier (Jesus, that feels like a long time ago), Reggie brings Keith Murray back home from his stint in prison, and re-introduces him to the world via a piss-poor performance that makes Keith sound like he's just been beaten up before recording. His verse does take away from the momentum of the song a lot - perhaps it was a sign of what was to come on the much-maligned He's Keith Murray album. Still, the rest of this song isn't too bad, and it has one of the better choruses on this LP. Also, Redman acting proud of himself for paying his own bills is pretty hilarious, more so than any of the skits on this album. Speaking of skits...

17. Judge Juniqua (Skit) (prod. Da Mascot)

The least funny skit on an album full of incredibly unfunny skits. Listen to this one if you want to cringe to death, but otherwise please steer clear. 

18. Dat Bitch (feat. Missy Elliott) (prod. Da Mascot)

This album really is the most star-studded of all of Reginald's LPs. I mean, we've had DJ Kool, Scarface, Treach, Method Man, George Clinton and now Missy Elliott too? It's no wonder this is the highest charting album of his discography (yes, you read that right). It's a shame that this is a really uninteresting cut, and in no way touches the excellence of "Dog In Heat", Missy's track with Red and Meth from her album Miss E... So Addictive, released a week before this one. This track is repetitive, misogynistic, and has a weirdly dramatic beat that doesn't really fit the lyrics at all. Sorry, Red, but this was an interesting experiment that didn't work. Back to the drawing board!

19. Doggz II (prod. Da Mascot)

Reggie's producer alias Da Mascot is really putting his work in during the final quarter of this album. I guess Erick Sermon was tired of hitting the copy and paste button so many times. Just kidding! This is the second sequel to a Doc's Da Name 2000 cut on this album (after "Bricks Two"), which really does go to show just how much this thing feels like it's aping that LP. Reggie includes a DMX sample of "where my dogs at?" from one of his many songs with a lyric along the lines of this one (who knows which exact one), and that's cool, but unfortunately his flow on this track is so dull and annoying that you won't be able to enjoy it. It's a shame, because this beat is really dope - it's full of nice sound effects, and hits harder than Erick Sermon's bouncy funk. Unfortunately, Red's actual vocals ruin this one. "What kind of nigga keep his mind on his money, music, not bitches at all?" is not viable lyrical content, Reggie. At all. 

20. Whut I'ma Do Now (prod. Rockwilder) 

I guess Rockwilder got the memo about creating too weird of a beat for "Let's Get Dirty". Unfortunately, he took that the wrong way, and decided to make an instrumental completely aping those of Erick Sermon for this track. Poor Rockwilder. He just can't seem to do the right thing. The beat on here is pretty terrible, as is the incredibly repetitive chorus... but at least Red's lyrics aren't bad, and his flow is much better than it was on the last two tracks. The song ends with the obligatory sex skit, because of course it does.

21. Soopaman Luva 5 (Part I) (prod. Erick Sermon)

Ahh, the fabled Soopaman Luva is back, and better than ever. Well not really, but you have to admit that the Soopaman Luva songs on this album are way better than whatever the fuck he was doing on number 4 off Doc's Da Name 2000. This is just part one of the song, and on it's own isn't too interesting - Red is simply trying to find out who "stole his mojo" by asking everyone he knows, and over a smooth, R&B-style beat from Erick Sermon - but said beat is pretty good, and while the female singers at the end are corny as hell, the callback to "Whateva Man" is highly appreciated. This is a good song, but only stands strong thanks to what comes next...

22. Soopaman Luva 5 (Part II) (prod. Da Mascot)

Part II of this Soopaman Luva stands as easily one of the best songs on this album, thanks to Redman's revitalised performance on the mic that is thematic and well-written, and also the beat that is as grimy and gritty as anything, and sounds great. This song feels like the first on the whole album where Red manages to balance humour and seriousness well, and the rapping is just perfect for this instrumental, as Red tells a great story with twists and turns ending with a pretty intriguing cliff-hanger that may or may not be explored in the next one in the series. This track is fantastic, and one of my favourites on this whole album. Where's this Reggie been through Malpractice?

The following song is listed as a bonus track, and I'm really not sure why, as it's very clear this was intended as the final song, and there definitely aren't any pressings of the project without it. Some of these record labels really were on something back in the day...

23. Smash Sumthin' (feat. Adam F) (prod. Adam F, add-prod. Ross Emmins alias DJ Destruction)

The other single from this album wasn't as big of a hit in the US as "Let's Get Dirty", but it did gain some airplay over here in the UK, most likely thanks to it's production being handled by Adam F and DJ Destruction - and this track certainly is a departure in sound from the other songs on here. It's kind of like "I Got a Seecret" from the last album, which was also an experiment in drum-n-bass, only this one is much louder and more dramatic. And while some people think this single is a bit weird for Redman, I for one am a big fan of it, and I do actually think it's one of his best songs - or at least it's one of my personal favourites. I love Adam F's intense production work, and the operatic breaks in there are perfectly implemented too. But it's Red who really makes this what it is, with a great, aggressive flow and a bunch of memorable lyrics. "I made you retire, hung your shoes from a telephone wire" - I mean, this shit is just dope. Hate on Malpractice all you want, but you can't deny that it ended strongly. This shit is just straight up fire. What a banger. 

Malpractice is a strange album. It's got everything that Redman's best work had - skits running through, production mostly from Erick Sermon and himself, funny ad-libs, lots of homage-paying and samples... and yet for some reason this album just doesn't work too well front to back. At first, you think you're in for another entertaining if not classic album, kind of like Doc's Da Name 2000, but soon enough you'll begin to become bored with the production, which is very samey throughout the project, and also the rapping, which never appears to be about anything, and also rarely brings through many lines of note. You've also got some very repetitive choruses, and quite a few songs where even the verses feature played out and incredibly boring flows that really bring the songs down. There's a lot to criticise here, and with songs like "Muh-Fucka" and "Dat Bitch" you're looking at the absolute worst Reggie had to offer up to that point in his career. It seems like he really went for the Doc's Da Name 2000 formula here, but a lack of ambition held him back from creating a truly satisfying body of work. I mean, just listen to "Uh-Huh". Does that sound like the music of a man with something to say? Or does it sound like a man who's already regarded as a legend coasting since he knows he can? Still, I don't hate this album - in fact, I quite like it, even though I'll say it's very flawed. There are plenty of fun, bouncy songs to be found that do work well, like "Lick a Shot" and "Da Bullshit", and occasionally you'll come across a really interesting, ambitious song, most notably "Enjoy da Ride", "Soopaman Luva 5 (Part II)" and "Smash Sumthin'". It's just a shame that Reggie felt the need to bog down this album with some very obvious album filler, and some of the least funny skits of his entire career. There's a decent short album in there, but that early 2000s need to fill the disc to the brim really held him back here. This is a tiring listen, and one I completely understand some of the animosity towards. Still, I won't lie and say I really dislike it, because I do think it is enjoyable - and on the relisten it didn't disappoint me too much.

What this album did do, though, is cause Redman to become quite irrelevant, and this was kind of the last album he released to actually be important in the genre. It was six years until he released a follow up, and by then we had some new, more severe problems to deal with...

Join me next time for that. Or don't. Do whatever you want. Just don't listen to the skits on this album. Definitely don't do that. 

Best Tracks: Diggy Doc, Lick a Shot, Real Niggaz, Da Bullshit, Enjoy da Ride, Bricks Two, Soopaman Luva 5 (Part II), Smash Sumthin'

Worst Tracks: Uh-Huh, Muh-Fucka, Dat Bitch

Catch up on the many more Redman reviews I've done over here

OutKast - ATLiens

In 1994, Big Boi and Andre 3000 (known then as just Dre) released their debut solo album, Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik. The album, through my young and unexperienced eyes at least (wait, that's not how you're supposed to do that), is a masterpiece of Southern hip-hop, and one of the better debut albums from a hip-hop act ever. It combines strong instrumentation with top notch lyricism and flows to make for an exciting listen that makes the listener feel like a menacing yet sexy player from the Deep South, and I love it. Songs like "Ain't No Thang", "Hootie Hoo" and "D.E.E.P." make regular rotation for me, and the project as a whole is one I'll often chuck in the CD player of an evening, if I'm not making shitty art for college or watching the Peep Show for the millionth time. And when an artist (or in this case, two artists) make such a good piece of work, the natural thing would be to continue down that path, right? It's worked wonders for Mobb Deep, Ice Cube, Busta Rhymes and a bunch of other hip-hop artists over the years, so for Big and Dre to not do the simple thing and capitalise on the success of the debut, they'd have to be crazy. Right?

Well, yes. Probably. I mean, Andre's ventures following this time period would certainly attest to that. But anyway, the main point of that whole lead up I just did was to express that making something similar to Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik was very much not what OutKast did. No.

What they did, ladies and gentlemen, was make ATLiens. One of the most unique, ingenious and, let's be honest, incredible hip-hop albums of all time. 

ATLiens, as I'm sure you all know, was released in 1996 to critical acclaim and incredibly high sales, and was generally regarded as the album where OutKast went from exceptionally skilled versions of your average macho MCs, to the most innovative and groundbreaking hip-hop duo there ever was, and in a sea of many other fantastic duos too, that is. With Organized Noize behind the boards, and guest appearances from the members of Goodie Mob and other Southern affiliates, the two managed to craft an experience unlike one ever seen before in the hip-hop genre. So, what this review will aim to do is express exactly why I think this album is so good, why it is an improvement over the duo's debut, and why it still doesn't manage to be the duo's best. Got it? Good. Let's get into it. 

1. You May Die (Intro) (feat. Joi, Whild Peach & Trina) (prod. Organized Noize)

Some beautiful singing over relaxing music opens up this album, and kind of sets the mood for what's about to come. Kast would try something similar to open their next album, but in my opinion it didn't catch the magic of this one - this opener is truly mesmerising. 

2. Two Dope Boyz (In a Cadillac) (prod. Organized Noize)

Over a fairly relaxing instrumental that's still intense enough to excite the listener for the rest of the album, Andre and Big Boi make it clear that they ain't fuckin' around - this shit is good. Big Boi's main point of interest on this song is his flow, which is even more disjointed and out of pocket here than it was through Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik - sure, his lyrics aren't full of the most intriguing content, but despite that there's no doubt that he's a talented rapper just from this song. However, it's clear who the real MVP of this one is - Andre's two verses on this one are full of fantastic lines and a great, unique delivery that make for some incredibly memorable content: I especially love the verse where he talks about shutting down an aggressive battle rapper who approached him in the street. "I said look boy, I ain't for that fuck shit; so fuck this" is one of his best lines. This song really is the perfect opener - it lets the listener know that this is about to be a completely different experience from the last album, without turning them completely away by being as out there as the later content on here. It's a beautiful song, and- [*explosion*]. 

3. ATLiens (prod. OutKast)

The title track, and arguably the most famous song off of this album, although there's another track later that arguably could usurp that position. On this track, it's made very clear that these are two MCs who want to go in different directions with their writing - while Big Boi is down-to-earth on here with bars about "shooting pool" and how he "step up in the party", Andre talks about issues with racism in America, young people's futures, gun violence, and how he makes women orgasm just by speaking to them (okay, maybe that last one was a bit unnecessary). Andre's lyrics here really do exemplify just what makes him so great - he's able to make an undeniable hit record without sacrificing his intellect or dumbing down his content. I mean, both of his verses on here are incredibly meaningful and socially relevant, yet fit perfectly into a song which on the surface is about getting people to throw their hands in the air and shout the ridiculous phrase "Oh Yeah Yer" at the top of their lungs like drunk maniacs. And I'm willing to bet everyone who heard this song for the first couple of times got that chorus stuck right in their head. This somehow manages to be even better than the opening song, and possibly the best OutKast song yet. Damn!

4. Wheelz Of Steel (prod. OutKast)

After two reasonably energetic opening songs, this is where, in my opinion at least, this album starts to become itself, and we begin to experience the ridiculously unique vibe that the project has. This song, despite the schizophrenic scratching towards the end, is just so chilled out, with an instrumental that lies around in the background like Grandad after Christmas lunch, and a chorus that's more of an incentive to take a lie down than one to jump up to at a party. Now, you may think these are negative comments, but no - because this song is fantastic. Not only do I love the chill beat and chorus (and the contrast the scratching provides), but I'm also a massive fan of what Dre and Big do with this track. Both spend their time reminiscing on their lives before fame, with negatives and positives discussed, and an overarching theme of the plights faced by young men growing up in those areas of Atlanta. Big Boi has the best line here - "it took your mama nine months to make it, but it only took a nigga thirty minutes to take it" - but there are many others that stand out too. This is the third absolutely great track in a row. 

5. Jazzy Belle (prod. Organized Noize)

Since we're all "socially conscious" now, Andre and Big Boi decide to use this track to talk about how they feel about how all these women they know are, basically, sluts, and are going around fucking anyone or anything they can get they hands on. The results, lyrically at least, are a mixed bag. On the one hand, there are some interesting points made by Big Boi about how these players who think that they got game are actually being used for their money and sex, and these women don't care about them at all - they'll be on to the next man within the week. Also, the bits where they address these women to tell them that they'll be the ones losing out in the end, and that they should stop these activities now, are nice and motivational. Unfortunately, not every line works. Andre's projected fear that these women are mothering the next generation crosses over into slut-shaming territory, and don't even get me started on the homophobic slur at the end of his second verse - that's just mean. And, while we're at it, the overall sentiment of telling women off for doing pretty much what men do and get away with all the time is also overdone in hip-hop, and comes across as incredibly ignorant and lacking in self awareness. Still, most of these lyrics are well executed, and I absolutely adore the beat and angelic female vocals. With a bit more thought put into some of these lyrics, this could have been even better. 

6. Elevators (Me & You) (prod. OutKast)

Goddamn that sleeve looks good. On this single, Big Boi and Dre reverse their typical formula - they begin the song with two eight bar verses followed by a chorus, and then each get a sixteen bar verse separated by a chorus. Yes, I'm sure I didn't need to tell you all that, but still I find it interesting. What's more interesting, however, is this song's beat, which is probably used to hypnotise people during CIA interrogations - in the best way possible, that is. This instrumental is one of the most unique yet incredible on this whole record, and what makes it even more amazing is that Big and Andre do it justice. The reminiscent rhymes are more personal than the socio-political observations on "Wheelz Of Steel", and Dre drops the best verse on the entire album at the end of the track - it's just one of those brilliant performances that you can remember so easily. "Yes we done came a long way like them slim-ass cigarettes from Virginia, this ain't gon' stop so we just gon' continue". Such a good verse, man. Also, the chorus is catchy as shit - it's the only way this song's ridiculous success can be explained too, as this was the biggest song from the album at the time, and helped introduce a lot of mainstream listeners to the incredible world of the Kast. And they deserved it too - this is one of the best hip-hop songs ever created. Yeah, I said it. 

Now I think about it, those previous five songs might stand as one of the strongest track runs ever. I mean, there can't be much to beat that, right? Please let me know in the comments what you think gets close. And it has to be four tracks or more. No exceptions. 

7. Ova Da Wudz (feat. EJ Tha Witch Doctor) (prod. OutKast)

Look - I understand that hip-hop artists have to misspell all of their titles by law, but I think we can all agree that this one is a little bit much. I mean, only four of the original twelve letters of this phrase remain here! Still, it's better than capitalising every single goddamn title like artists do nowadays I suppose. Oh, you want me to talk about the music? Oh, okay then. 

This song is definitely the weakest so far, but I still like it a lot. The main issue for me is the chorus, performed by the guest star EJ Tha Witch Doctor - the lyrics aren't bad, but the way he forces them out of his mouth like an unexpectedly soft apple is a bit too grating for me. Other than that, this song is one of the more menacing and aggressive on this album, and once again it features two artists with very clearly different lyrical directions, which would obviously later manifest into different musical ones. Big Boi spends the first verse boasting about his skill on the mic and the amount of women who want to have intercourse with him, and then his second (a shorter one to close the song off) explicitly describing some of the details of said intercourse. It's the way he delivers these lyrics that sell them though - the flows are great, and the aggression in some of the bars perfectly matches the darker tone of the beat. As for Dre... well, he seems to have a problem with record labels not paying artists properly, despite these artists having lives to lead of their own, and therefore spends his verse lamenting on that. The contrast works though - one second you're vibing to Big's brilliant flow, the next you're listening into Dre's dope lyrics. This is a good song, but compared to what we've heard so far it is a noticeable downgrade.

8. Babylon (feat. Andrea Martin) (prod. Organized Noize)

One of the heavier songs on ATLiens, "Babylon" speaks on some very negative thoughts each artist has going through their mind, and it's an interesting instance of a song where Andre dominates the runtime - on their first three efforts, you could normally either expect them to be equal, or to hear Big Boi only. The first verse might be the best, as Dre speaks on his being born into the world as a "crack baby", and drifts into talking about women objectifying themselves in strip clubs, and finally gun violence in the street, all of which feels socially relevant even today. It's a great performance, but sadly the second verse fails to meet it's lofty standards - Andre's faith in his final line's impact is touching, but sadly "they call it horny because it's devilish" is probably the worst lyric on the entire album, next to the "dykes" one from earlier. Big Boi is left to pick up the pace, and does so successfully - the final couple of lyrics of his verse are some of the most powerful and notable of his career. Lyrically, this song is complex and quite dark, and that's why I love it - it just happens to have really nice music and a lovely sung hook tying it together. Sure, there are questionable moments, but as a whole this is one of my favourite songs on here. Airing out one's demons can't possibly be a bad thing, in any case. 

9. Wailin' (feat. Cee-Lo Green) (prod. Organized Noize)

Call it an interlude if you want, but it's a damn good one, you've got to admit that. This is the shortest track on the album excluding the intro, clocking in at just two minutes, and while it would have been nice to see it develop further, I still really enjoy this cut. The instrumental is so relaxing and wonderful, and a lot more conventional than the last, and I like how Cee-Lo comes in the middle just to hum - Kid Cudi should do that more on his guest appearances, rather than drop crappy verses like the one on Travis Scott's "Looove". The two hosts here impress too - Big Boi's rhymes are pretty great and have a nice flow, whilst André continues on his food for thought shit by telling you exactly why he refuses to spend his time in the spotlight rapping about his riches and his ability to rap well. It's just crazy how well this guy's lyrics age, man. This is a great little tune. 

10. Mainstream (feat. Khujo & T-Bu of Goodie Mob) (prod. Organized Noize)

Big Boi and Dre invite two of their buddies from the Goodie Mob to rhyme alongside them, fresh off their highly regarded group debut Soul Food. Sadly, this still ends up being the weakest cut so far - it's not bad, but this beat is the first that feels like it will send me to sleep against my own will, rather than help me relax of an evening. Does that make sense? I hope so. The concept of this track is interesting, though - it's about the vicious cycle of the hood, and how having these drug dealers and pimps idolised by young black kids inevitably makes them want to grow up to be the same thing, only to realise it'll get them killed faster than it'll get them happy. The track seems like a criticism of the state of hip-hop music, which was seen to be getting more and more blingy around the time this album was released, so that's a theory that would make sense. I love Dre's verse most, but really the only poor effort is that of T-Bu, who sounds like he was just rudely woken from a sofa nap only to be given a red bull and immediately thrust straight into the studio to record his verse. Oh, and Khujo's mispronunciation of "conscience" was weirdly unnecessary too. Still, the song's main problem is the dreary beat - otherwise, it's pretty stellar. 

11. Decatur Psalm (feat. Cool Breeze & Big Gipp) (prod. Organized Noize)

I'm sorry, but who in their right mind sits down in attempt to find a rap name for himself, comes up with "cool breeze", and decides he'll roll with that? Am I missing something here? Anyway, this song always kind of went in one ear and out the other for me - the beat is interesting but feels a bit off somehow, and the storytelling which was well executed by mr. Breeze isn't really followed up well by Big Boi or the bloke hilariously called Big Gipp (seriously, who the fuck gave these guys their stage names?). Also, the "it won't be over til the big girl from Decatur sang" chorus is bloody horrible, and Big Boi rhyming "Tuesday" and "April Fool's Day" is one of the lamer moments to be found in the OutKast catalogue. This isn't bad, but it does bring down what's so far been a near-flawless effort. 

12. Millennium (prod. Organized Noize)

Brings back the momentum that was lost on the previous song, but not quite enough to reach the highs of earlier in my opinion. Andre makes a stellar return after popping to the shop during the recording of "Decatur Psalm", opening this track with a great verse that reads as a letter to God during times of turmoil for him - the verse not going into specifics is actually a great idea too, as it helps it to come off as incredibly relatable for anyone going through any kinds of struggles: I'm not a religious person, but I'm not going to lie and say I've never believed there might be a God of sorts out there, who could just be controlling my surroundings and everything I come into contact with. That verse is unfortunately followed by what appear to be the sounds of Andre being repeatedly hit in the face with tennis balls - I mean, what in the hell is this nonsensical chorus? It sounds like someone attempting to mime a song they know none of the words to, only with noise coming out. Big Boi's verse is thankfully nice, and I love the laid-back instrumental on here... but what in the fuck were they thinking with that chorus? "Catchy" my ass - Genius.com is apparently not averse to terrible opinions on the annotations every now and then. Who the hell walks through their house singing "uh uh uh uh uh uh uh..."??

I feel my message has been lost - I do like this song. Just not the chorus.

13. E.T. (Extraterrestrial) (feat. EJ Tha Witch Doctor) (prod. OutKast)

I'm sure there's someone somewhere who found the parenthesis in this title helpful, but that's certainly not me. Jeez, I'm becoming negative. I guess it's easy to become nitpicky when an album is this good. This song right here has a much more cinematic sound than most of the rest of this project, which helps fit with the title, and while the chorus may take some getting used too for some, it's undeniable that this track contains some of the best verses on the entire record. Big Boi's verse laments on some of the dire situations in the place where he grew up, and how he hopes that as a famous rapper he can help inspire people to turn their lives around and get onto the right path - it's unfortunate that by the time Andre's verse has finished, Big's performance is all but forgotten. Because Jesus Andre is phenomenal on here - I think his verse might be the second best on the record. His "average Joe" bars are the type that make you wonder just how the hell he came up with it, and the motivational lyrics on here teamed with the rising beat almost bring a tear to my eye every time. Jesus, this guy is good. You can see why he's often considered the greatest of all time. Overall, definitely one of the best songs here. 

14. 13th Floor/Growing Old (feat. Debra Killings & Big Rube) (prod. Organized Noize)

After popping up on the last album for a quick interlude titled "True Dat", Big Rube gets another chance to flaunt his spoken word here, and while the cryptic nature of it is patronising, I do enjoy the final bit, where he says "Babylon", but it's actually "babble on". I just think that bit's really interesting. Thankfully, the wonderful piano music behind this spoken word is then turned into a proper beat for an actual song - imagine if they had wasted that on just the Big Rube part. Debra Killings provides what is probably the best chorus on the whole album, whilst Andre and Big Boi drop some reminiscent rhymes and reflect on the fact that they will indeed continue to grow old until they eventually pass away, just like all of us. The verses here aren't necessarily some of the most notable on the whole album, but as a package this song just comes together so well - I couldn't think of any rappers more suited to this beat, and that sample from "Elevators" is perfectly implemented too. I think this is probably the best possible way they could have closed the album, with it perfectly concluding the uniquely laid back sound the album has exhibited so well the way through. Oh, and speaking of "Elevators".

15. Elevators (ONP 86 Mix) (prod. OutKast, re-prod. Organized Noize)

For this remix that really should have been listed as a bonus track, Organized Noize take the self produced instrumental from the original and put some more normal drums on it. Sure, it ain't as good as the OG by any means, but it's worth checking out anyway, and works just fine on its own. But yeah, the original is better, so really there was no point in putting this on the album. Save the remixes for the b-sides, boys. 

Sadly, ATLiens is finished now, but oh well - it gives me the opportunity to summarise just why this album is so fucking great, despite the fact that it does have a couple of missed opportunities towards the second half. If Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik is a brash, outgoing player, then ATLiens is its calm and introspective best friend, who's surprisingly smart for the amount of weed he consumes. And what I mean by that is that these two albums are so very different, but at the same time work incredibly well together, with ATliens being the slightly better listen for a couple of reasons. Firstly, it lacks skits, which were a bit of a problem on the debut - hip-hop skits are rarely funny if we're being honest, and it's not often I'll hear one and genuinely laugh out loud (shout out "The $20 Sack Pyramid" and "Heart Street Directions", plus a few others). And the Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik ones may as well have played the sound of tumbleweed rolling through the desert. And secondly, it gains content - sure, "Git Up, Git Out" and "D.E.E.P." were two of the most memorable cuts on the debut, but let's not act like there wasn't a fuck-ton of boasting and pimping on that album. On ATLiens, there's a multitude of different lyrical themes, including but not limited to the exploitation of artists on major labels, the implementation of crack into the hood, the negative implications that come with having sex with everyone, and most importantly, how not to use the phrase "April Fool's Day" in a rap song. All jokes aside, it's a very diverse album, and there's no denying that both artists grew substantially in these two years. The performances here are great, with André standing out as the MVP of the project thanks to his consistently stellar observations and diverse vocabulary. No disrespect to Big - he's great too. But one thing that's undeniable is that this album is very largely helped by its production, from both Organized Noize and OutKast themselves. This production is trippy as hell, relaxing as shit, and just so experimental. It doesn't sound anything like what was coming out at the time, instead feeling like it could be mistaken for something from the 2010s - in a positive way. It just sounds so clean and slick. This album is unique, experimental and incredibly bold, and for OutKast was a pivotal moment for boosting the aspirations of their careers. There aren't many albums out there that sound like this one, nor many that took this much of a risk, and paid off this well. And you know the crazy thing about it? It isn't even their best. 

Until next time, folks...

Best Tracks: Two Dope Boyz (In a Cadillac), ATLiens, Wheelz Of Steel, Elevators (Me & You), Babylon, Wailin', E.T. (Extraterrestrial), 13th Floor/Growing Old

Worst Tracks: Decatur Psalm

Catch up on any other OutKast stuff I've written over here!